I'm Already Home
by WeHaveACase
Summary: Temperance Brennan avoided the news these days...Based on Tim McGraw's song If You're Reading This. BoothBrennan
1. Gone

I have had this story planned out for a while now. I was waiting to get another installment of the Care Package out, but I just wanted to get part of this posted so I can get some feedback while I write the next part of CP. I know a few people have written stories based on this song, so I wanted to get mine out there before someone else actually wrote the one I wanted to. The song is Tim McGraw's new one "If You're Reading This." Obviously I do not own this song, nor do I own Bones, no matter how much I want to!

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**I'm Already Home**

**PG-13/T**

Temperance Brennan avoided the news these days. She had never been a fan of television in general, but had kept up with current events through the newspapers and occasionally watching the evening news. Now though, she depended on Angela to keep her updated on what she needed to know. Why? One word. Iraq. Everyday it seemed there was another story about American soldiers wounded or killed over there. Before, it would have made her sad, made her hope for peace for the nation's sake. But now, now it broke her heart. Stories of soliders missing or killed kept her up at night, frantic with worry. Why? Because her husband, and the father of her unborn daughter, was a soldier, a Ranger to be exact.

Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth had been married almost exactly a year when his orders came. He was to be deployed on a two year tour of duty. She had been horrified when he had given her the news, she had refused to believe it, or to even talk to him for the first week, before she had broken down, sobbing in his arms. They had just found out she was pregnant only a month earlier, and she was four months pregnant when he left.

The couple had begun their relationship shortly after the "wedding that wasn't," Angela and Hodgins' to be exact. That couple had eloped, returning from their honeymoon to find their friends involved in a burgeoning romance, much to Angela's delight. They had dated for a year and a half, learning more about each other than they even though possible, and falling in love. When he proposed, around Christmas time (he had wanted to give her a good memory of the season), he had done so prepared for arguments about the "archaic institution". Instead, she had blown him away. When she had discovered the delicate, round cut, diamond engagement ring in her stocking, he had dropped to one knee. Her eyes filled up with tears almost instantly, and she was smiling. He was stunned speechless for a moment. She stunned him again when she said yes, allowing him to slip the ring onto her left hand and kissing him deeply.

They were married a little under a year later, in September of 2009. They had compromised on the church issue, and had a simple ceremony in the rose garden of the Jeffersonian, the priest from Booth's local parish officiating. They had spent three glorious weeks honeymooning in Tahiti before returning to D.C. and settling into married life. They had been happy, the two of them, along with Parker, until his orders came. She had cried as he boarded the plane that October of 2010, leaning heavily on his mother, who had driven with them to say goodbye.

Mary Booth became her lifeline in the months following his departure. They had weekly lunches, and Mary had answered all of her questions as her pregnancy progressed. Mary was the one who accompanied her to her doctor appointments.She sat with Temperance as she had spoken to Booth on the phone, telling him that their baby was a girl. Temperance had reached the six month point, the beginning of her third trimester, and now Mary was accompanying her to her Lamaze classes.

---

Temperance and Angela had just returned from a much needed shopping trip. In the hours they had been out, they had finally purchased everything needed to furnish, and finish, the baby's room. They had also updated Brennan's maternity wardrobe, to accomodate her rapidly growing belly. They were busy opening boxes in the room that would become the nursery, when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it sweetie." Angela told her, beginning to stand from her place on the floor, where she was trying to piece together a mobile for the baby's crib.

"It's okay Ange. I'm already up." Brennan assured her, leaving the nursery and making her way to the front door. As she opened it, Angela heard her whisper. "No."

She followed her friend out into the entranceway. Standing in the doorway were two soldiers, dressed in full uniform. The held their hats under their arms, somber looks on their faces.

"Oh Sweetie." Angela breathed. Brennan was shaking her head, backing away from the pair at the door.

"No, no, no..." She backed into Angela, who quickly encompassed her friend in her arms as her tears began to fall.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Booth." The older soldier began.

Temperance took a breath, tears still streaming down her face. "What- happened?" She asked shakily.

The soldier glanced over at Angela, before returning to meet Temperance's eyes. "His transport was hit by a roadside bomb. There were no survivors."

"I want- I want to see-" She tried to choke out. Angela's arm around her tightened comfortingly.

The soldier looked away, staring down at his hat for a moment, before meeting her eyes once more, the pain in his own now evident. "I'm sorry Mrs. Booth. But, the explosion destroyed the humvee-"

Angela gasped beside her, and Temperance closed her eyes against the sudden flood of emotion. Her hand drifted down to rest over her stomach, where their child was shifting restlessly. The men remained a few minutes longer, offering condolences and the services of the military chaplain. Temperance was in a fog, only aware of Angela's hand grasping her own, and the movement of her daughter.

As the men were leaving however, the younger, quieter, one stopped, turning back to Temperance. She was surprised to see tears in the eyes of the soldier. "Mrs. Booth," he began, clearing his throat. "I, uh- I served with Seeley. He was a good man." She nodded, tears filling her eyes. He took her hand and she felt him place something small and metallic in her palm. "He wanted me to give this to you- should anything-" He cut himself off, the emotion choking him. "He was a good man." He repeated, before following his superior officer down the hall.

She closed the door behind them, exhaling a long shaky breath. The apartment was silent, even Angela was not sure what to say in this moment. Temperance felt the object in her palm and uncurled her fingers. Her knees buckled, and Angela sank to the floor beside her, holding her friend as they cried. In her palm lay Seeley's gold wedding band. He was gone.

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A/N: I have one more short chapter after this one, then they will get longer...but before then, I need your help. I know exactly where I am going with this story, but I have a few options as to how to get there. I would love to hear from one or two of you who would like to help me, not necessarily a beta, but someone I could run a few different scenarios past to determine the course of this story. I don't want to ask for opinions here however, because it would give away the story. If you're interested, and don't mind some of the plot being given away, please let me know in a review, PM, or email.

Thanks so much for reading this story...please review and let me know what you thought!


	2. The Funeral

Wow! I love the responses I've already gotten for the first chapter. Thanks so much for your opinions, and to **kinseyjo** and the others for volunteering to help me out! I really appreciate it guys, and I'll contact you pretty soon.

As for those of you who are speculating...you'll just have to wait and see, won't you! I am following the song, so those of you who were surprised that Booth is dead while she's pregnant...I probably wouldn't have done that had it been my song, but I really hate it when people change the lyrics of a song to fit their story...so yeah, that's why I'm doing it this way. LOL Thanks so much...

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**Chapter 2 -- The Funeral**

The next weeks passed slowly. Mary Booth had been devastated by the loss of her oldest son, and had dealt with her grief by holding tightly to her relationship with his wife, Temperance. Temperance was living in a daze those few weeks. She could not sleep in the bed she had shared with Seeley. Instead she found herself falling asleep in the baby's still unfinished room. After Mary found her curled up in the glider the second night in a row, she convinced her to move in with her and his father, so they could watch over her and the baby.

Temperance found herself organizing the funeral in an almost detatched manner. He would be "buried" in Arlington, so the military was taking care of most of the details, leaving only a few decisions to her and his mother. Cam had placed her on maternity/bereavement leave the moment she had heard, and the rest of the team tried to be supportive, bringing meals and helping to take care of some of the calls that had to be made.

The morning of the funeral was almost surreal. She woke up that morning, in her bed at his parents' house, and stared at the ceiling. Their baby was kicking, and she placed her hand over the spot to quiet her. As she lay there, she began to cry silently, the tears running off of her cheeks and soaking the pillow. Booth, her Booth, partner and best friend of five and a half years, husband of one, was really and truly gone.

Angela came in a little while later, and Temperance allowed her friend to help her get ready, and get her to the church. Temperance sat in the front pew with Mary, Daniel, Parker, and Rebecca, accutely aware of the eyes of her friends watching her in concern as she struggled to maintain the walls around her emotions. When the service concluded, they made their way to Arlington National Cemetary. She stood in the thin layer of snow that still coated the ground, from their Christmas snowstorm, unable to tear her eyes from the casket. Logically, she knew he was not in it, there had been no remains to bury, but her irrational side had taken over in the last few weeks. As she watched them begin to lower the casket into the ground, her knees buckled, only the arms of Mary and Angela kept her from collapsing completely. Parker, who had been holding tightly to the hand of his mother, broke away, running to Temperance and flinging his small arms around her. She held him tightly, conscious of the fact that the small boy in her arms was the spitting image of his father. She gathered herself when the soldier, the same one who had informed her nearly two weeks ago, stood before her. He placed the folded flag in her arms and saluted. She nodded and he stepped back. She flinched as the guns saluted, and the funeral concluded.

As people paid their respects and began to drift away, she was startled by a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned to meet the sad eyes of Deputy Director Cullen. He cleared his throat apollegetically.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Brennan." She nodded in acknowledgement, biting her lip against her tears. He pulled a plain white envelope from the pocket of his suit jacket. "He left this with me. Just- in case." Cullen handed her the envelope and she felt the tears begin again as she saw _Bones_ written across the front in his unmistakeable scrawl. She nodded her thanks and Cullen squeezed her arm comfortingly before quietly walking away.

She looked around the area, at the people still standing nearby. She saw Mary standing off to the side, speaking with some family members. She saw Rebecca holding Parker on her hip, saying goodbye to Daniel and Jared. She felt Angela and the rest of her collegues join her, standing with her in silent support. Rebecca had turned to leave when Parker spotted his stepmother. He wiggled to be put down, and ran towards her. She almost smiled in spite of herself when he hugged her legs. She ran a hand through his hair, tenderly ruffling the unruly curls.

"Tempe?" He asked in a baby soft voice.

"Yeah kiddo?"

"Is- is my baby sister still coming, if Daddy's not here?" He asked innocently, looking up at her, his big eyes filled with sadness and a little fear. She felt her heart break as she looked down at him, taking a deep breath.

"Of course bub." She whispered, taking his small hand and placing it on her belly, where the baby was moving. "She still wants to meet her big brother." She assured him, and he hugged her again before he had to leave with his mother.

"Bren sweetie?" She heard Angela ask tentativly behind her. "Why don't we head over to the reception now?" She suggested softly.

Temperance looked up, shaking her head slightly. "I'm going to stay. Read this. You go on ahead, I'll take the car over in a little while."

Angela reluctantly left her friend, and Temperance glanced down at the envelope in her hand. With a last glance back at where a few people were still speaking softly, she wandered away. She found herself standing in front of John F. Kennedy's Eternal Flame. She sank to her knees as she slowly opened the envelope. The letter was handwritten, and dated just days before he had left. The words he wrote filled her eyes with tears.

My Bones,

If you're reading this, with my mama sitting there, it looks like I only got a one way ticket over here. I sure wish I could give you one more kiss, and war was just a game Jared and I played when we were kids. Well I'm laying down my gun and hanging up my boots. I'm up here with God and we're both watching over you.

If you're reading this, half way around the world, I won't be there to see the birth of our little girl. I hope she looks like you, I hope she fights like me, and stands up for the innocent and the weak . I'm laying down my gun and hanging up my boots. Tell my dad I don't regret that I followed in his shoes.

If you're reading this, there is going to come a day when you'll move on and find someone else and that's okay. Just remember this, I'm in a better place, where soldiers live in peace and angels sing amazing grace.

So lay me down in that open field out on the edge of town, and know my soul is where my momma always prayed that it would go. Because if you're reading this I'm already home.

I love you, and our daughter, with all of my heart.

Yours,

Seeley

Her hands were shaking as she read his final words to her. Tears were streaming silently down her face. She jumped at the sound of footsteps behind her. She swiped away the tears, turning, and gasped.

"Dad?" Max Keenan stood silently behind her, wearing all black. He had watched the service from a distance, his heart breaking when his daughter had to be supported by her friends.

"Hi sweetheart." He greeted her sadly, as he sank to his knees beside his daughter. "I came as soon as I heard."

She nodded shakily, closing her eyes against the tears that were beginning to fall again. She looked up at him, eyes wide, and he recalled a time when she was a toddler, upset over the death of a catapiller she and her brother had found in their backyard. Her sob brought him back to the present.

"He's gone Daddy."

His heart broke all over again, and he pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back as she clung to him, sobbing into his shoulder.

"I know, baby girl, I know."

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A/N: Gah! I was crying as I wrote this...It may be a little while before I update again...please review and I'll try to make it fast... 


	3. Then and Now

The long awaited update! Sorry it's taken me so long, but I've managed to write a pretty damn long chapter, plus a couple more short ones...so you can look forward to quicker updates, at least for a little while. Thanks to **kinseyjo **for the input on how to do this...I think I got this figured out...

This chapter takes place a year after the funeral...That's roughly four years after the season 2 finale...There will be a lot of _flashbacks_ to kind of fill in the lost time...

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**Chapter 3 --- Then and Now**

Temperance Brennan awoke at six thirty, shivering in the cool December morning, to the quiet of her house. Rolling over in bed, she shoved down the pang of sadness that still hit whenever she thought about the empty space next to her on the bed. It had been almost a year, and though it was getting a little better, she still desperately missed her husband. As she began to fully wake up, she glanced over at her night stand, surprised that the baby monitor that resided there was still silent. Her nine month old daughter was usually up by now, either crying to be fed, or simply playing in her crib. Temperance climbed from the bed, tying her robe around her waist as she padded barefoot down the hallway. She had bought this house shortly before her daughter was born, and she still had moments when she forgot that she wasn't living in the apartment she had shared with Seeley.

As she made her way down the hallway, she passed her stepson's room. She peeked her head just inside the door, a soft smile pulling at her lips as she took in the sight: Parker sprawled across his bed, in Spiderman pajamas, with the blankets bunched precariously at the foot of the bed. She pulled the sheet and comforter up to his waist, picking up his stuffed rabbit from the floor by the bed and gently placing it beside him. She kissed his forehead, grateful that Rebecca had allowed her to keep Seeley's custody agreement and see him often. He mumbled in his sleep as she slipped from his room and continued down the hallway, past the guest room, and to the nursery.

When she gently pushed the door open, she realized why her daughter hadn't woken her that morning. Max Keenan was asleep in the glider, his granddaughter nestled into his chest, also dozing. She watched the pair with a soft smile, grateful for her renewed relationship with her father. When she and Booth had first gotten involved, Max had been serving time. He had been released on good behavior, and some type of technicality, a couple of months before their wedding, and had been there to walk her down the aisle. He had disappeared for a little while after the wedding, keeping in touch sporadically, before he had shown up at Seeley's funeral. He had stuck around for good after that, staying in her guest room, before moving in when she'd finally admitted she needed help with the baby. He had helped her find the house and move in, and he'd also taken great pleasure in helping her set up the nursery, and getting to know Parker. He had been there when her daughter was born.

_She was lying awake in bed that cool March evening. She had two weeks until her due date, and the bulk of her belly was making it hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. She groaned as she shifted, trying to relieve some of her discomfort._

_"You okay honey?" Her father appeared in the doorway of her bedroom, concern etched into his features._

_She sighed, "Yeah, I just- I can't get comfortable." She wiggled a little then sighed again. Max perched on the edge of the bed, watching her carefully._

_"You feeling okay?" He asked her, watching as her eyes welled up._

_She swiped at the tears, inwardly cursing her hormones. "It's just my back. It hurts and I can't get comfortable enough to sleep."_

_He smiled gently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Want me to rub your back, honey?" He offered, and she nodded silently. She rolled halfway onto her side as he tucked himself behind her. She leaned back into his chest as he kneaded her back with the base of his hand, helping relieve the pressure._

_"Thanks Daddy." She whispered softly._

_"You're welcome, honey." He kissed her forehead. "How long has your back been hurting?"_

_"All month." She said dryly._

_"Same kind of pain?" He clarified._

_"Not today. It's been a little worse today, more centralized, I think."_

_He sighed. "Hate to tell you this, but that might mean you're in labor."_

_She shifted slightly to look back at him, worry creeping into her eyes. "But- I'm still early."_

_"Two weeks, Tempe." He reminded her. "First babies are often early, Russ was three weeks early." He took in her slightly panicked look. "Relax honey. You've got time. Even if this is the beginning, you have a ways to go. Why don't you try to get some sleep."_

_She nodded, settling back onto her pillow, and focused on his hand massaging her back. It was silent for a while, before she turned to look at her father again. "Tell me about Mom?" She requested softly._

_"I've never seen her so happy as she was when she was pregnant with you and Russ. She absolutely glowed." Her father began softly, and gradually she fell asleep to the sound of his voice._

_Hours later, she padded slowly into the kitchen where her father was sitting with a cup of coffee and the newspaper._

_"Daddy?" Her voice was small and tight. He looked up in surprised. "I think my water broke."_

_He had rushed her to the hospital after that. Once in the emergency room, the doctors had wheeled her away, leaving him to fill out the paperwork and make calls. When he'd finished, he had been ushered back into her room. He paused in the doorway, watching his daughter for a moment, before her groan of pain pulled him into the room and to her side._

_"Russ is on his way with Amy, and so is your friend." He told her softly, taking her hand as she breathed through the contraction._

_"Angela?" He nodded in answer, smoothing her hair away from her eyes. "Thanks."_

_"How are you feeling honey?"_

_"I'm okay until - ah!" She exclaimed, breaking off as another contraction wracked her body and she squeezed her father's hand._

_"Just breathe Tempe. It's okay." Max coached, grabbing a cool washcloth from the table beside her bed and pressing it gently across her forehead._

_Tears welled up in her eyes as the pain faded. "He should be here Daddy." She whispered._

_"I know, baby girl." He squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead. "I know. But I promise you won't be alone in this, okay?" She nodded through her tears, burying her face in his chest as she cried._

_Twelve hours later, Max stood by her side as she bore down as hard as she could, clenching his hand in hers._

_"You're doing great, kiddo." He soothed her, smoothing her hair away from her sweaty forehead._

_"It hurts Daddy" She sobbed._

_"Alright Temperance, the baby's crowning. I need you to push as hard as you can on the next contraction." The doctor ordered from his place a the foot of the bed._

_"You can do it sweetie. Push." Max coached, and she bore down with the contraction._

_"One more push and you'll be a mommy Temperance." The doctor smiled._

_"I-can't." She sobbed._

_"Yes you can. Come on Tempe, push."_

_"Push now Temperance."_

_She bore down a final time on their orders, laughing through her tears as the baby's soft cries were heard moments later._

_"Congratulations Temperance. It's a girl." The doctor told her as he cut the cord and handed the baby to the waiting nurse._

_"Hear that, Tempe? It's a girl." Max grinned down at her. "You've got a daughter."_

_"And you've got a granddaughter." She teased weakly as the nurse placed the small pink bundle in her arms. Instantly her attention turned to the baby she held. "She's beautiful." She whispered._

_"You did great honey." He watched her for a moment before turning his attention to the baby as well. "She's perfect. Do you have a name for her yet?"_

_"Jenna," She whispered, and the baby's eyes fluttered open to reveal a pure blue. "Jenna Faith Booth."_

_Max gave her an odd look. "But you don't-"_

_"He did." Was her answer to his unasked question._

_"Okay." He sat on the edge of her bed, trailing a fingertip down his granddaughter's cheek. "Welcome to the world little Jenna Faith Booth._

Jenna's whimper pulled her back to the present. The baby was squirming on Max's chest, and he slowly began to wake up.

"Hey Dad." She whispered so she wouldn't startle him as she entered the room and crouched beside the glider. "Hey Jenna-bug." She cooed as the baby opened her eyes. She scooped her daughter into her arms as Max sat up, stretching his back. Temperance stood up, perching the baby on her hip as she offered a hand to pull her father to his feet. "When did she wake up?"

"About an hour ago." Max shrugged. "Didn't want her to wake up you and Parker."

"Thanks Dad." She smiled before turning her attention to the baby. "We appreciate that don't we Jenna-bug." The baby squealed and Temperance and Max laughed.

Max kissed both girls on the forehead. "I'll go start breakfast." He told them before slipping out of the nursery.

"What do you say we go wake your brother, huh Jenna?" Temperance spoke to the baby.

"Pa!" The little girl squealed and Temperance laughed.

"That's right, Par-ker." She coached the girl softly as the pair slipped inside his room. Temperance sat on the edge of the bed, placing Jenna down beside her. The baby crawled up to Parker's head and patted his cheek none to gently.

"Pa!" She squealed loudly, and the boy jumped.

"Hi Jen-Jen." The nine year old laughed, throwing his arms around his baby sister.

Temperance reached over and ruffled her stepson's hair. "Time to get up for school bub."

"I know, I know." He complained good naturedly, throwing the covers off of his legs.

Temperance scooped the baby up before she could dive head first off the bed after her brother. "Grandpa Max has got breakfast going. Get dressed and meet us out there okay, bub?"

"Kay Mom." She smiled, he had started calling her that a few months after Jenna was born, and sometimes it still surprised her.

She dressed her daughter and herself for the day, before joining her father in the kitchen. They had settled into a routine in the last few months, and she wasn't sure what she would have done without the help. As soon as breakfast was over, she loaded up the kids in her SUV. Normally, Max or Seeley's mother would watch Jenna while she worked, but today her father was driving out to spend some time with Russ and his family for the weekend, as he did often, and Mary had the flu, so Jenna would be accompanying her to the lab. Temperance dropped Parker off at his elementary school before heading towards the Jeffersonian.

Arriving at the lab, she hoisted Jenna onto her hip and slung her purse and the diaper bag over her other shoulder. She grabbed a stack of files from the passenger seat and slammed the car door with her hip. Juggling her load, she made her way into the Jeffersonian.

"Dr. Brennan!"

Temperance looked up to see her new graduate student, Nadia Williams, hurrying down the platform towards her. "Good morning Nadia." She greeted the young woman.

"Let me help you with that." Nadia offered, taking the stack of files that Jenna was grabbing for.

"Thank you." Temperance boosted the baby higher on her hip. "If you wouldn't mind putting those on my desk, that would be great."

"Not at all Dr. Brennan." The girl headed towards the office as Brennan arrived on the platform.

"Hey Bren, hello Miss Jenna!" Angela squealed as she spotted mother and daughter. "Come see Auntie Angie!" She lifted the baby from Temperance's arms.

"I'm going to go put her stuff in my office and set up the portable crib." Temperance told Angela as she hurried up the stairs to her office.

"Oh, Dr. Brennan!" Nadia called as she saw her coming up the stairs. "Dr. Addy and I have the results you wanted on the Peterson case, when you get a chance."

"Alright, let me get Jenna situated, and I'll be with you and Zach in a few minutes."

"Thank you Dr. Brennan." Nadia hurried down the steps to the platform, pausing to talk to Angela and the baby.

A few minutes later, Temperance had set up Jenna's playpen in the corner of her office and dumped her bags on the couch. She put the bottles in the mini fridge and gave a cursory check of her emails, before she headed back downstairs to retrieve her daughter. As she reached the steps, she watched her team gather around her daughter; Angela, Hodgins, Cam, Zach, Nadia, and the newest addition, Agent Christine Matthews.

_"Dr. Brennan!" Deputy Director Cullen's voice rang out over the lab._

_Brennan was halfway up the stairs to her office. Pausing in her tracks, she turned around with a sigh. She had only returned to work two weeks ago, and shee was exhausted. Her three month old daughter had developed colic in the recent weeks, and she had been up with the infant nearly all night. They had had a stressful morning as well, one that had ended with Jenna spitting up on the shoulder of Temperance's black dress shirt, just as she'd dropped her off with Mary. She took a deep breath, willing away the tears that had begun to prickle at her eyes._

_"This is not a good time sir." She said, her voice surprisingly steady._

_"I understand you are recently back to work-" He began._

_She turned and descended the stairs towards him, "Sir-"_

_"I have someone you need to meet." He continued. Temperance sighed as she spotted the woman standing a few feet away. "Dr. Brennan, this is Special Agent Christine Matthews. She will be acting as the liaison between the FBI and the Jeffersonian."_

_Temperance gave the woman a nod before turning on her heel and heading up the stairs to her office. Agent Matthews looked up at Cullen, a mixture of concern and surprise on her face. He mad a stilted attempt at an explanation before Angela, who had seen everything, stepped in._

_"I'm sorry guys. I think she's had a pretty bad couple of days. I'll go talk to her." Angela knocked lightly on her door. "Bren? Sweetie?" When there was no answer, she gently pushed the door open. Brennan was seated in her desk chair, turned away from the door. Angela could see her shoulders shaking slightly. "Sweetie, what's wrong?" She stepped away from the door and crouched in front of her friend._

_Brennan took a deep breath and tried to wipe away her tears. It took a moment before she could compose herself enough to speak. "It- it's not right." She choked out._

_"What isn't sweetie?" Angela hugged her, pulling her up and leading her to sit on the couch._

_"He- he should be here. I shouldn't have a new partner. I shouldn't be raising our kids alone. I shouldn't be depending on our parents to keep me from going insane. I shouldn't- I shouldn't be a w-widow." The tears were coming back and Angela squeezed her knee in support as she continued. "Jenna should have her father. I can't do this by myself." She finally admitted. "The pediatrician says she has colic. She's miserable, I'm miserable- I haven't really slept in over a week. And Parker doesn't want to stay with me any more because she cries all night." Brennan looked up at Angela helplessly. "My baby cries because she's miserable, and I can't do anything to help her. I feel like a terrible mother. I don't know what I'm doing. I miss him so much Ange. I miss- him" _

_Her voice caught on a sob, and Angela pulled her into her arms, rocking with her until she calmed down. "I know you miss him sweetie, I know." She murmured. "You know, you don't have to do this by yourself. We are all here for you. All you have to do is ask and we'll help you in a heartbeat, and not just with Jenna, you know that right?" Brennan nodded through her tears. "Good, then I'm coming over tonight."_

_"Ange-" Brennan interrupted weakly._

_"No sweetie, I'm coming over tonight. I'm going to get up with Jenna while you sleep." She told her firmly. "It does not make you a bad mother to admit that you need help, whether it's from your father, Mary, or me. You understand me?" Brennan nodded. "I know colic can be hard, but you will get through it. Jenna will grow out of it. Until then, we deal."_

_"Thanks Ange." Brennan whispered._

_"That's what friends are for sweetie." Angela hugged her again. "Now, how about we go talk to Agent Matthews? I think her first impression of you might need a little improvement." She teased gently._

_Brennan let out a wry laugh. "I'm probably a mess now." She made a half-hearted attempt to dry her face._

_"You look fine sweetie." Angela assured her. "Besides, every new mom is entitled to a meltdown or two."_

_After a few more minutes, she pulled herself together, following Angela out of the office and back down to the platform. Cullen had already left, and Agent Matthews stood awkwardly to the side, watching the interaction between Cam, Hodgins, and Zach. Angela cleared her throat, catching the agent's attention, and gave Brennan a shove in her direction._

_Shooting Angela a dirty look, she greeted the agent. "Good morning Agent Matthews." She extended her hand and Matthews shook it slowly. "I apologize for my earlier behavior, I'm afraid I've had a- difficult morning, to say the least. I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan." _

_The other woman smiled. "No apologies necessary, I completely understand. It's nice to meet you. And please, call me Chris." If she noticed any trace of Brennan's earlier breakdown, she said nothing._

_"Thank you Chris." Brennan finally smiled. "Let me introduce you to the rest of the team we will be working with." She was all professionalism as she introduced the agent to Cam, Zach, Hodgins, and Angela._

_Brennan and Matthews maintained a friendly but professional relationship for a few weeks after their first meeting. It wasn't until they were in the car, heading back from a crime scene on a three hour drive, that they really began to talk. They talked about their kids, Matthews, had three year old twins, and balancing work. It seemed Brennan had found a friend who could relate to many of the experiences she was now struggling with. Their discussion was interrupted when Brennan's cell phone rang._

_She glanced quickly at the caller ID before flipping it open. "Brennan."_

_"Hello Temperance."_

_"Mary," She recognized the voice. "Is everything okay? How's Jenna?" She smiled at the thought of her daughter._

_"Jenna's okay honey. But I need you to stay calm." Mary answered slowly._

_"Stay calm?" Brennan repeated, worry creeping into her voice. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Chris glance over at her in concern. "Why do I need to stay calm? What happened? Where are you?" She felt Chris reach out and give her hand a comforting squeeze._

_"We are fine honey. We were in a little car accident. Nothing major, but we're at the hospital."_

_"H-hospital?" Brennan stammered, and she felt her breathing getting shallow. "Which one?"_

_"Washington Memorial." Mary answered, and as soon as Brennan had repeated the name, Chris changed directions, heading towards the hospital with lights flashing. Brennan shot her a grateful look._

_"I'm on my way." Brennan told her mother-in-law._

_"Okay honey. You just be careful getting here." Mary said gently. "I promise we're fine, don't worry."_

_As Brennan hung up the phone she leaned her head back against the seat, her eyes closed. She was holding her phone so tightly her knuckles were turning white._

_"Breathe Temperance." Chris said gently, laying a comforting hand on her arm. "We'll be there soon."_

_"Thank you." She whispered, fighting back tears. Chris saw out of the corner of her eye and sighed._

_"Don't think about it Temperance, you'll only drive yourself crazy."  
_

_"I know, I just-" She broke off with a wry laugh._

_"It's easier said than done, I know. Just think about something else. Tell me about Parker, you said his birthday's coming up?"_

_Temperance chuckled gratefully, allowing her thoughts to be diverted to her eight year old stepson and the plans for his upcoming birthday party. They arrived at Washington Memorial Hospital a few minutes later._

_"Can I help you ma'am?" A nurse asked as they rushed in._

_"Mary and Jenna Booth." Chris spoke up, flashing her badge. "Brought in in a car accident."_

_The nurse nodded. "First door on your left, room 103."_

_"Thank you." Chris nodded to the nurse as Temperance hurried toward the room._

_"Mary!" Temperance exclaimed as she entered the room. Her mother-in-law sat on the edge of the hospital bed, her arm in the process of being wrapped in plaster. Four month old Jenna was sound asleep in the infant carrier that sat on the bed beside her._

_"Temperance, honey, you made it." Mary look up with a smile. "Doctor, this is my daughter-in-law, Temperance Brennan, Jenna's mother."_

_"Nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Walker." He shook her hand before returning to Mary's arm._

_"Oh Mary, what happened?" Temperance asked as she lifted her sleeping daughter from the car seat and held her close to her chest._

_"A car ran a stop sign near the supermarket." The older woman answered softly. "Hit the passenger side, my arm hit my door."_

_"It's just a hairline fracture." The doctor interjected. "Nothing too major. It will have to be in the cast for a few weeks, but it'll be good as new in no time." He told them as he finished the cast._

_"May I see the x-rays?" Brennan asked._

_The doctor raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"_

_"The x-rays? May I take a look at them?" The doctor was stunned for a moment, but after Mary gave an approving nod, he handed over the films. Chris watched in amusement as she expertly held them up to the light, examining the break, still cradling the sleeping Jenna in her other arm. She scrutinized the image in silence a few more minutes before turning and handing them back to the doctor. "Three weeks with the cast, and the possibility of a brace?"_

_He nodded slowly,"Yes. She'll come back in two weeks and we'll see how well she's healing." Temperance nodded and he got the odd feeling he was being dismissed. He cleared his throat. "Well, everything else is fine. I'll just go get a nurse to bring you your discharge papers." He slipped out of the room._

_A few days later, Chris walked into the lab looking for Brennan, to be greeted by an abnormally quiet lab. Everyone was there, just silent. She quietly scanned herself onto the platform, wincing as the beep of the scanner echoed through the lab. A couple of technicians nodded in her direction as she passed them, and she spotted Brennan, bent awkwardly over on one of the tables, and Angela. As she drew closer she could hear the pair arguing in harsh whispers. Every so often one would raise her voice before the other shushed her pointedly and continued the argument. Matthews cleared her throat to announce her presence, and the pair jumped. As Brennan turned, Matthews' jaw dropped. Jenna was cradled against her chest in a front pack, sound asleep._

_"What's Jenna doing here?" Chris whispered._

_Brennan laid a protective hand on the baby's back. "My dad's spending time with my brother this week, and Mary can't take care of her with only one hand." She explained._

_"So you brought her here." Christ observed._

_"Yes," Brennan shrugged. "I have the front pack, and a portable crib in my office. Angela has agreed to watch her should we need to go out in the field."_

_"Okay..." Chris agreed warily, and watched as the baby stretched, drawing Brennan's attentions to her and effectively ending the conversation._

_Brennan continued to bring Jenna to the lab a few times a month, whenever her father was with Russ, or Mary needed a break for whatever reason. Soon the portable crib was a fixture in both her and Angela's offices, and most of the employees were familiar with the bubbly baby girl with big blue eyes and chestnut curls._

"Good morning Bren!" Chris's greeting carried over the platform, pulling her from her memories and back to the present once more.

"Good morning Chris." She laughed as she descended the remaining steps to join her friends and daughter on the platform. "Do we have a case?"

Matthews nodded, handing her the file. "Body found just outside of town. Local cops are already there, we need to get going if you want your scene to remain uncontaminated."

"Let's go then." Brennan grabbed her bag from a nearby table. "Are you okay with her Angela?" She nodded towards her daughter.

Angela nodded. "We're good until you get back. I know where all her stuff is."

"Good." Brennan smiled, leaning over to kiss her daughter's forehead. "Be a good girl Jenna-bug."

"Ga!" The baby squealed, and everyone laughed.

"Alright, let's get going. Nadia! You coming?"

"Yes Dr. Brennan!" The young woman grabbed her case and hurried after Matthews and Brennan.

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A/N: Good God that was a long chapter! Please review and make it all worth it! Updates will follow soon! 


	4. No Such Thing

Wow, aren't you special! Two updates in the same day! LOL This chapter and the next few will all take place on the same day...

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**Chapter 4 ---- No Such Thing**

They returned to the lab a few hours later and began analyzing the samples that were collected and examining the bones of the victim. When they discovered signs of another possible victim, Brennan sent Zach and Nadia back out into the field to look for the rest of the remains. Stretching, she glanced at her watch and sighed. She had been bent over these remains for over an hour, and her back was beginning to ache. Rubbing it slowly, she headed up to Angela's office where Jenna had been playing since she woke up from her nap an hour or two ago. She tapped lightly on the doorframe, and Angela looked up.

"Hey Sweetie! How's everything coming?" Angela asked.

"Not bad. I'm waiting on information from Zach and Nadia so I decided to take a break." Brennan answered as she sat cross-legged on the floor of the office, beside the blanket Jenna was playing on. "Hey Jenna-bug." She called softly, and the baby looked up, wide-eyed.

"A-ma!" She squealed, crawling over to her mother and pulling herself up on her leg.

"Such a big girl." Brennan cooed, scooping her up and hugging her.

"Hard to believe how big she's gotten, isn't it?" Angela grinned, joining them on the floor.

"I know." Brennan sighed. She ran her hand through the baby's soft curls as Jenna pulled on the necklace she always wore. She'd put Seeley's wedding band on a simple gold chain and had been wearing it around her neck since the funeral. Jenna had recently discovered it, and it was her favorite thing to play with whenever her mother held her. She lost interest after a few minutes and crawled off of her mother's lap, back down to her blanket where a stack of plastic blocks lay spread out. Brennan watched her with a sad smile, unconsciously twisting the wedding ring that remained on her own finger.

"How are you holding up sweetie?" Angela asked softly, and Brennan looked up.

"I-I'm okay, I think." She shrugged, returning her gaze to her daughter. "It's been a year," she said softly,"but some days, it feels like it was just yesterday. Jenna makes it better though, there's so much of him in her, you know?"

"Yeah, I know sweetie." Angela smiled gently.

Brennan turned her gaze to her friend, thoughtfully. "You know, I don't think I've thanked you often enough. For all your help with her, with everything. I don't think we would have made it." Angela swiped at a tear, and Brennan chuckled through a few of her own.

"You're welcome you know, I wouldn't have missed being a part of this for the world." Angela squeezed her friend's hand. "Besides, you might get to return the favor soon."

"I- what? Angela?" Brennan's eyes widened as Angela nodded.

"I'm pregnant, Bren!" She whispered with a smile.

"Oh Ange, I'm so happy for you!" Brennan pulled her into a hug. "Does Hodgins know yet?"

Angela shook her head. "Not yet. I'm trying to wait to surprise him at Christmas."

"He's going to be so excited." Brennan grinned.

"You think?" Angela asked in a moment of insecurity, and Brennan shot her a look.

"I don't think, I know. You've seen him with Jenna. He's going to be thrilled, he'll have his own little "bug" to spoil!" She laughed. "How far along are you?

Angela grinned, her hand drifting to her abdomen. "Eight weeks, I'm due in July."

---

It was almost an hour later when the pair emerged from the office after putting Jenna down for her nap.

"You do any Christmas shopping or decorating yet sweetie?" Angela asked as they closed the door behind them.

Brennan sighed. "Not yet. I'm going to have to soon though. It seems I'm hosting this year."

"You?" Angela was surprised. "How did that happen?"

"Well, I have Parker, since Rebecca had him for Thanksgiving, and since Dad is living with us, Russ and Amy and the girls are coming up." She explained. "So that's seven people that will be celebrating in our house, plus it's Jenna's first. And we have to go by Mary and Daniel's on Christmas Eve so the kids can see all those relatives." She ran a hand through her hair with a sigh.

"Sounds stressful. Makes me glad it's just Jack and me, and maybe my dad...this year at least." The women shared a look before bursting out into excited laughter.

"What's so funny?" Hodgins asked as they arrived on the platform and they sobered quickly.

"Nothing babe." Angela answered.

"Right..." He eyed them doubtfully, before turning his attention back to the file in his hand. "Dr. Brennan, I've compiled a list of all the possible uses for the particulates found on the first victim. As soon as Zach and Nadia return I'll be able to determine if those particulates are present on the other victim."

"Thanks Hodgins." She nodded, accepting the file and flipping through it. "You'll let me know when we have time of death for both-"

"Dr. B! Dr. B!" She broke off as they all looked up to see Jake Bryant, Nadia's boyfriend, run into the lab. One of the guards scanned him through as he bounded onto the platform. "Have you seen Nadia?!"

"She's in the field with Zach, why?" She answered.

"Damn."

"What's going on Jake?"

The suppressed excitement was coming off of him in waves. He grinned. "I passed. I passed my academy exam!"

"Oh my God! That's amazing Jake! Congratulations!" Angela exclaimed.

He laughed, sweeping her and then Brennan into exuberant hugs.

"Congratulations Jake." Brennan laughed as he put her back on her feet.

"So are you officially a police offi..." Angela trailed off as her eyes widened and all the color drained from her face.

"Ange?" Brennan asked worriedly.

"You okay Angela? You look like you've just seen a ghost." Jake commented.

"Jake, you know there's no such thing as gho-" Brennan began, turning to follow her friend's line of vision. "-ghosts." She whispered as everything went dark.

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A/N: Cliffhanger...I'm evil I know! LOL 


	5. Ghosts

I have to say I'm loving all the reviews I'm getting! I went from thirty something to fifty something, thanks so much guys! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story...I've never been called a sadist before, LOL. I'm kinda sorta taking pity on you...not really...almost the same as the last chapter, different perspective.

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**Chapter 5 ----- Ghosts**

He had entered the lab quietly a few minutes ago, hovering in the shadows of the hallway as he scanned the area for her. He had already stopped by her apartment, and this was the only other place he could think to look for her. He had been ready to turn and leave when she and Angela emerged from an office.

He studied her as the pair of friends talked, making their way down to the platform. She had changed, physically at least. Her hair was longer, left loose, it fell in waves down her back. Her body had changed as well, her breasts and hips fuller than he remembered. Her laughter drifted over the lab and he smiled.

He stepped out of the shadows as a man rushed by him. The man was young, probably ten years his junior, and built like a linebacker. He watched as the man bounded up the stairs to the platform, hugging the women in his obvious excitement, lifting them off the ground.

Moments later, Angela spotted him over that kid's shoulder, paling instantly. Obviously concerned by her friend's reaction, she turned. She was saying something, but the words seemed to catch in her throat as she saw him. His world stood still in the moment their eyes locked. He was home. Then she crumpled to the ground.

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A/N: Sorry for teasing you...review, I'll update soon if you do! 


	6. Here

I have to say, I don't think I've ever gotten so many reviews for such a short chapter in my entire writing career. I think we managed to double the reviews! Incredible, thanks guys! I've gotta say though, I was surprised that only one person thought it was Sully...I had half a mind to make it him just to surprise everybody...but that would have ruined the story, and I don't like him that much anyway. I'm sure you'll like this version better.

I know little about the military and their rules...so the explanation of where he's been and all that may or may not be plausible.

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**Chapter 6 --- Here**

_"So are you officially a police offi..." Angela trailed off as her eyes widened and all the color drained from her face._

_"You okay Angela? You look like you've just seen a ghost." Jake commented._

_"Jake, you know there's no such thing as gho-" Brennan began, turning to follow her friend's line of vision. "-ghosts." She whispered as everything went dark._

_--_

_Moments later, Angela spotted him over that kid's shoulder, paling instantly. Obviously concerned by her friend's reaction, she turned. She was saying something, but the words seemed to catch in her throat as she saw him. His world stood still in the moment their eyes locked. He was home. Then she crumpled to the ground._

The linebacker caught her, just before her head hit the ground, and he gently lowered her to the floor.

"Bones!" He ran towards the platform, only to be stopped by two of the security guards. "Let go of me damn it!" He struggled against them. "That's my wife!"

"Let him go." Angela called to the security guards, recovering from her shock. They released him and he hurried up the platform as Angela kneeled beside her. "Bren? Sweetie?" Angela gently patted her cheek, trying to rouse her. After a moment, Angela sighed. "Jake? Can you help me get her up to the couch in her office?" Booth watched helplessly as the linebacker, Jake, effortlessly lifted her into his arms and carried her up the stairs. When they were both out of sight, Angela whirled on Booth. "Where the hell have you been?!" He stepped back, too surprised to defend himself as she pummeled his chest.

"Angela!" Hodgins exclaimed, coming onto the platform in time to see his wife begin hitting someone. He ran up and pulled her into his arms.

"We thought you were dead!" She choked out.

Hodgins' head snapped up. "Booth!"

Booth ran a hand across the back of his neck. "Hey." He responded weakly.

"You've been dead for a year, and all we get is "hey"?" Hodgins repeated incredulously.

"Jack!" Angela elbowed him in the stomach. "What happened Booth?" She asked as she calmed down.

"I-" Booth sighed. "It's a long story. One she should hear first." He glanced up towards her office. "Is she- okay?"

"Oh!" Angela exclaimed, running up to her friend's office. She slipped inside and Jake stood. "Thanks Jake. Can you keep an eye on Jenna for me? She's napping in my office."

"No problem." He made his way to the door, pausing. "Is that-"

"Jenna's father. Temperance's husband." Angela told him.

"I thought he was-"

"Dead? Yeah, so did we." She said softly, returning her gaze to the sleeping Brennan.

Gradually Brennan began to stir. "Bren? Sweetie?" Angela knelt beside the couch. "That's it Bren, open your eyes."

Brennan groaned, shifting on the couch as her eyes slowly drifted open. "What hap- Seeley!" She gasped as realization dawned. Angela laid a calming hand on her shoulder.

"Relax honey. Lay down." Angela instructed gently.

"But Seeley- I saw- he's-" Brennan broke off, looking up at her friend with uncharacteristically wide eyes.

Angela took in the fear in her friend's eyes. She was afraid she had imagined seeing her husband. "He's here, Bren. He's alive. I don't know how, but he is here."

"Oh my God." Brennan covered her face with her hand, the other flying to the wedding band she wore on a necklace around her neck. There was a light knock at the door, and both women looked up as the door opened slowly. Her eyes widened and began to fill with tears as he stepped inside.

"Hey." Booth said softly. Angela squeezed her hand and silently slipped out of the room. "Bones-" He began gently, and she burst into tears. He crossed the room in three long strides, sitting next to her and pulling her into his arms. She clung to him, fisting his shirt in her hands as she sobbed. "Shh, Bones. I'm here, I'm okay."

They rocked together as she cried, his arms tightening around her as they held each other for the first time in over a year. Slowly her tears abated, reducing to sniffles as she continued to hold tight to him. She had never been called a clingy woman, but after a year of life as a widow, she never wanted to let him go. Slowly he eased back, taking her face in his hands. He smoothed his thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away her tears, and she leaned her face into his palm.

She took a shuddering breath. "They- they told us you were d-dead."

"I know, Temperance. I'm so sorry." He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and she gasped softly. "After you've been missing for awhile they-"

"Missing?" She interrupted as she pulled back. "No Seeley, they told me you were _dead. _Your transport blew up- there were no- no survivors. We had your funeral - almost a year ago." She whispered.

"Oh my God." He pulled her back into his arms. "I'm so sorry baby. If- if I'd known-"

She pushed away. "If you'd known what? You would have come home sooner? What Seeley?" She cried.

"I don't know. Temperance please."

"What- happened over there Seeley? Where have you been for a year?" She whispered.

"I was on my way back to the transport when the bomb went off. I woke up in a makeshift Iraqi hospital just outside of Beirut, over two months later." Her hand flew to cover her mouth as she gasped. He squeezed the hand he held, pulling her into a more comfortable position against his chest as he continued. "I had broken my arm, collarbone, and four ribs, in addition to the head wound that knocked me out." He lifted their joined hands to trace the scar that ran parallel to his hairline from the middle of his forehead to his right ear. "They kept me medicated because of the pain for a long time. And then as I became more aware a few months ago, they discovered I had amnesia. I had no idea who I was, or where I was from. Gradually my memory came back, but it wasn't until last month, when it all came back and I knew I was an American soldier, that I was able to contact the American embassy and come home." He turned her around to look at him. "I came home as soon as I knew, Temperance."

She nodded through the tears that had begun streaming down her face. "I missed you so much." She whispered, looking down at their joined hands.

He pulled one away to cup her face, tilting it up to meet his eyes. "I love you Temperance. Always have, always will. I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He whispered, lowering his lips to hers. She melted into the kiss, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck, threading her fingers through his hair. His hand tightened on her waist, pulling her into him, practically onto his lap, as the kiss deepened. Needing to breathe, she broke away, resting her forehead on his chest, just breathing in the scent of him.

"I love you too Seeley. Never stopped." She whispered back, smiling up at him through her tears. He lifted a hand to her face, wiping her tears and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

A light knock jolted them from their reverie. The door opened slowly and Angela peeked inside. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Bren have you seen the time?"

"No, it's-" She glanced down at her watch, "3:24, oh no!"

"Do you want me to go?" Angela offered.

"Would you?" Angela nodded. "Thank you. Just bring him back here. I'll explain everything." Brennan told her and Angela slipped back out.

"Who is Angela picking up?" Booth asked quietly and she looked back to him with a soft smile.

"Parker." She chuckled when his eyebrows shot up. "This is my week with him. His school lets out in five minutes. I almost forgot. Good thing it's close."

"Yeah. You get a week with Parker?"

"Two actually," She smiled. "He stays with us every other week."

"Us?" Booth repeated.

"Yes, us. Me, Dad, and oh!" Brennan exclaimed, getting to her feet.

"What?"

"Come on." She took his hand and pulled him up from the couch. "Follow me, I have someone you should meet." She led him out of her office and down the hall to Angela's. She tapped lightly before stepping inside. "She awake?" He heard her ask.

"Just woke up." Jake answered softly.

"Thanks Jake." Brennan stepped aside to allow the young man to exit the office. Booth watched him go, not paying attention as Brennan entered the office. "Seeley." He turned. She stood beside a playpen, a beautiful baby girl with soft curls and sleepy blue eyes perched on her hip. His heart caught in his throat. "I'd like you to meet your daughter, Jenna Faith Booth."

His eyes filled with tears as he closed the distance between them. "Faith?" He repeated on a whisper, bringing a hand up to gently stroke her curls. The baby tucked her head against her mother's neck.

Brennan blushed. "I wanted her to have a part of you."

"She's beautiful Bones."

"Do you want to hold her?" She offered, watching him and the look of awe on his face. She gently placed the sleepy baby in his arms, watching as she burrowed her face in his chest. He gently rubbed her back, running his fingers through her curls.

"How old is she?" He asked as he carried her over to Angela's couch.

"Nine months." Brennan told him softly, sitting beside him. "She was born on March 19, 2011 at 1:13 PM, after fifteen hours of labor.

He choked out a laugh at that, and Jenna opened her eyes, looking up at him curiously. "She has your eyes Bones."

She laughed as Jenna looked between her mother and the man holding her, and she let the baby grasp her finger. "Everyone said they would change after a few weeks, but they never did. Isn't that right, Jenna-bug?"" Her voice changed as she spoke to the baby, and he chuckled.

"Jenna-bug?" He asked.

She blushed again. "Jack started it, and it just kind of stuck."

"It's cute." He turned his attention to Jenna. The baby had just pulled his crucifix out from under his shirt and was trying to put it in her mouth. "Found something to play with, didn't you?" He laughed as she looked up at him innocently.

"Sorry, she loves necklaces. Always grabs mine too." Brennan pulled out the chain she wore and unfastened it. She let the ring slip from the chain and into her palm. "I believe this is yours." She said softly, and he looked up to see her holding his wedding band between her fingers.

"You kept it?"

"Of course I kept it. I couldn't just get rid of it!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that, I just-" He shifted Jenna to his right arm and held his left out to her. "Put it on me?"

She took his hand, sliding it slowly onto his ring finger, then pressed a soft kiss to the spot. "Til death do us part." She quoted in a choked whisper.

"Hey, hey now." He pulled her into a one armed hug, before tipping her face to his. "As long as we both shall live." He whispered, and kissed her.

"A-ma?" Jenna's hand patted their cheeks and they broke apart as she giggled.

"You think that's funny, don't you sweet pea?" Booth laughed, tickling the baby and enjoying her giggles.

Behind them, the door opened. "Uh, Ange sent me up. They're back." Hodgins announced from the doorway.

"Thanks Jack." Brennan stood up. Booth started to rise, but she placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stay here with Jenna. I'll talk to him, prepare him, and bring him up." She said softly, and he nodded, as she followed Hodgins back down to the platform. The nine year old was standing beside one of the exam tables with Angela. Zach was telling him the names of the bones, pointing them out on one of the bodies from Limbo. Unwittingly, the boy had adopted many of his father's characteristics and mannerisms. He stood now with both hands in his pockets, nodding as Zach identified the bones. He was so much like his father. Parker looked up, spotting her on the stairs, and his face lit up. He had his father's charm smile.

"Hi Mom!" He grinned.

"Hey bub, how was school?" She asked as he hugged her waist.

"Good. I got a hundred on my spelling test, and me and Daniel got to help Miss Montgomery feed the hamster."

"Daniel and I, and that's great bub." She corrected automatically, ruffling his curls.

"Mo-om," He shrugged out from under her hand and she laughed. "How come Aunt Angie picked me up today? Were you too busy with work?" He asked.

"No, bub. I-uh, let's go to my office okay?"

"Okay. Where's Jen-Jen?" He asked as he followed her up the stairs.

"She's in Angela's office. We'll go see her in a little bit, but- but first," She took a deep breath as she led him into her office and sat with him on the couch. "I need to talk to you about something."

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A/N: Well I hope that answers some of your questions! Please review! 


	7. Alive

This was a really hard chapter to write...but hopefully it's okay. It's a little shorter, but I wanted to get something up, because I'm not sure when I'll be able to update again...please enjoy though! And review!

PS. Be sure to check out my photobucket (dot) com album **TemperateJoy**, for pictures of everything described! The link in my profile will take you straight to the album! Yay!

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**Chapter 7 --- Alive**

_"Mo-om," He shrugged out from under her hand and she laughed. "How come Aunt Angie picked me up today? Were you too busy with work?" He asked._

_"No, bub. I-uh, let's go to my office okay?"_

_"Okay. Where's Jen-Jen?" He asked as he followed her up the stairs._

_"She's in Angela's office. We'll go see her in a little bit, but- but first," She took a deep breath as she led him into her office and sat with him on the couch. "I need to talk to you about something."_

He looked up at her with wide eyes. "What's wrong? Am I in trouble? Cuz I didn't mean to make Tammy cry."

"You made Tammy- you know what, we'll talk about that later." She shook her head. "Bub-" She took another deep breath, resting a hand on his back. "-we need to talk about your dad." He pulled away from her and walked over to Jenna's empty playpen. "I know you don't want to- but we have to Parker."

"Why?" He interrupted. "Daddy died, the army said so." He said softly.

"I know, but Parker-" She sighed. "Can you come sit down?" He dragged his feet as he made his way back to the couch. "Parker, sometimes even the army makes mistakes." She told him softly.

"What do you mean?"

She squeezed his hand. "Parker, the army told us that your dad was in a car that was blown up by a bomb. But, they didn't know that he wasn't in the car. He was hurt though, and that's why he couldn't come back." Parker was starting to cry, and she knelt in front of him. "Parker, baby, Daddy's okay. He's alive."

He looked up at her with wide, teary eyes. "Daddy's not dead, like the army told us?"

"No bub. He's alive." She smiled through tears of her own as he launched himself off of the couch and into her arms.

Moments later he struggled out of the hug as he thought of something. "Is he still at the war? Does he get to come home?"

"He gets to come home, bub. In fact-" She stood and pulled him up. "He came home today. He's waiting for us in Angela's office." Parker took off running, throwing open the door to Angela's office. He froze in the doorway.

"Daddy." He whispered.

Seeley looked up from the baby in his arms. "Parker." He shifted the baby to one arm, holding the other open to his son as the boy flung himself into his father. Brennan hurried in moments later and scooped Jenna from Booth's arm so that he could fully hug his son, pulling him up and into his lap. The child was sobbing, and Booth was fighting tears as well. Father and son rocked together as Brennan slipped out of the office with Jenna. She made it a few feet down the hallway before she sagged against the wall, tears streaming down her face. She hugged the baby tightly as she slid down the wall.

Jenna eyed her mother, her chubby fingers patting her wet cheeks. "Ma?" Jenna whimpered, catching on to her mother's distress.

"Shh, Jenna-bug." Brennan choked out, rubbing the baby's back as she buried her face in her neck. A few moments later, the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs had Brennan wiping her tears way with one hand.

"Bren? Oh sweetie." Angela spotted her friend curled up on the floor with Jenna and sighed. She sank to the ground next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Brennan leaned her head on Angela's shoulder, exhaling shakily.

"I keep thinking I'm going to wake up." Brennan whispered. "I'm going to wake up, alone in bed, and I'll still be a widow."

"You can't let yourself think that way. This is real, he's here sweetie." Angela squeezed her shoulder. "He's home, alive and well, and I doubt he's going anywhere anytime soon." Jenna struggled out of her mother's tight grasp and crawled into Angela's lap. "Can I give you some advice?" Brennan nodded against her shoulder, watching as Jenna struggled to get the artist's pendant into her mouth. "You guys have a rare second chance here. Don't let your fear ruin it."

Brennan gave a wry laugh, "Believe me, I'll try." Angela squeezed her shoulder once more, laying her head on top of Brennan's. They sat in silence, Brennan surreptitiously brushing away the tears that continued to wet her cheeks. "He wasn't in the transport." Brennan whispered, breaking the silence.

Angela looked down at her. "What?"

"He wasn't in it. The blast blew him away from it, and he woke up in an Iraqi hospital with no idea who he was."

"Oh sweetie." Angela didn't know what else to say, so the women sat that way for a long time, as Brennan struggled to get her emotions under some semblance of control. They were entertaining Jenna when the door to Angela's office opened. They both looked up when Parker poked his head out.

"Mom!" He exclaimed, hurrying over to sit next to them. Over his head she saw Booth's eyebrows raise. She smiled weakly as he joined them, sinking to the floor beside his son.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked softly.

Angela stood up quietly. "I'll leave you guys alone. Bren?" She looked up. "Go home sweetie." She told her friend softly before walking away and down the steps to the platform.

Booth shifted to lean back against the wall. Parker had settled between them and was talking excitedly to Jenna, who was watching her big brother in fascination. "You okay? You got out of there pretty fast." He commented.

She sighed, automatically reaching out to steady Jenna as she pulled herself up on Parker, and murmured "Careful." She warned. "I'll be okay." She answered Booth honestly. "I just needed a moment, and I wanted to give you two some time alone."

"Thanks Bones." He reached out and stroked his thumb over her cheek. She leaned into his touch with a sigh.

"Mom?" Parker's voice interrupted.

"Yeah, bub?" She tore her eyes away from Booth's and looked down to her stepson.

"I think Jen-Jen needs a new diaper." He made a face and she laughed.

"Alrighty then." She pushed herself up to her feet then scooped up the baby. "I'll go change her. Parker, can you get her blanket and binky from the crib in Aunt Angela's office for me? Then what do you say we take Daddy home, huh?"

---

A half hour later, the little family was loaded up in Brennan's SUV and headed down the highway. The drive was quiet, save for Parker's continuous chatter as he tried to tell Jenna about his game without letting her grab it. Brennan drove one handed, her right holding her husband's tightly. His thumb stroked the back of her hand as they drove along.

"I went to the apartment earlier." He revealed softly, and she glanced over at him, her expression unreadable.

"We moved, right before Jenna was born." She told him softly.

"I got my own room, and a playroom, and we have a backyard Daddy!" Parker piped up from the backseat. Booth looked confused, and she laughed.

"I bought a house." She told him as she pulled onto their street.

"You bought a house." Booth repeated in surprise as she pulled into the driveway. It was a beautiful two story house, with a wrap around porch. There was a big front yard with a brick path up to the front door. "Whoa. It's incredible Bones."

She grinned at him as she killed the engine and climbed out. She threw her purse over her shoulder and lifted Jenna out of her car seat. "Parker, put your game away and you can help me give Daddy a tour of the house okay?"

"Okay!" He grabbed his backpack and clamored out of the car. He grabbed his father's hand, tugging him up the walk to the front door. Brennan grabbed the diaper bag and boosted Jenna onto her hip before following the pair. She was laughing when she caught up to them, waiting on the porch.

"Forgot who had the keys, didn't you bub?" She ruffled his hair and unlocked the door.

"Come on Daddy, come see my room!" He started to pull his father towards the stairs.

"Hold on bub!" She called as she dropped her keys and diaper bag on the floor by the door. "Let me check the messages and we'll give him a tour of the whole house, I promise." She handed Jenna to Booth, who looked surprised for a moment before he settled the child in his arms, and shrugged out of her suit jacket as she headed to the kitchen. The machine beeped and the automated voice filled the room as Parker, Booth and Jenna followed her.

"_You have two unheard messages, first unheard message: _Hey hon, it's dad. Just wanted to let you know I got to Russ's okay today. He and Amy and the girls all say hi. They can't wait to see you all at Christmas. Call me if you need anything, otherwise I'll see you and the kids for Christmas next week. Give Parker and Jen a kiss for me. Love you honey, bye." There was a beep as she erased it, and the voice continued, "_Next unheard message: _Hi Tempe, dear, it's Mary. I just wanted to let you know I went to the doctor's today. It's just the flu, as we suspected, so I should be better soon and ready to watch that angel of ours. I'll keep you updated. Everyone is looking forward to seeing you and the kids Christmas Eve. Daniel sends his love. We'll talk to you soon dear!" There was another beep, "_You have no unheard messages_."

She cleared her throat as the recording completed, taking in the look of confusion and curiosity on Booth's face and Parker bouncing anxiously beside him. She sent Booth a look that promised to explain later, before turning to Parker.

"How about that tour now bub?" She laughed as he grinned and turned to his father.

"This is the kitchen." He pointed out importantly.

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A/N: Please, Please, Please check out the pictures I've selected for this story...I got the link in my profile to work, so just click on that and it'll take you directly to the album. 


	8. Tour

Sorry it's taken me so long to update this! Lucky for you I plan on finishing this story before continuing with the Care Package and my Law & Order: SVU stories. There should be maybe two or three more chapters to this story.

Pictures of the house and the kids' bedrooms can be found in my photobucket album, TemperateJoy. There's a link on my profile, they're great so please check them out!

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**Chapter 8 ---- Tour**

Parker led them on a tour of the downstairs, pointing out the living room, the dining room that connected to the kitchen, the guestroom, and Brennan's office. Brennan carried Jenna, distracting her with a toy she'd grabbed from the living room as they moved around the house. She followed Parker as he kept up a running commentary for his father, dragging him from room to room. Booth tried to keep up, but she had to laugh a few times at the somewhat overwhelmed look that covered his face. Once Parker had pointed out the backyard, with his swing set and new bike, he pulled his father towards the stairs.

"Come on Dad! I'll show you my room, and Jenna's, and our playroom, and Grandpa's room!" Parker exclaimed as the little band trouped their way upstairs.

"Grandpa's room?" Booth questioned, glancing back at Brennan.

Brennan sighed, "Parker, I think Jenna's getting a little bored. Why don't you play with her in the playroom? I'll show Dad Grandpa's and my room, and then you can help me show him yours okay?"

"Okay!" Parker ran into the playroom.

She laughed, "Come on Booth, let me get them settled and I'll explain everything." He nodded and followed her into the room. The playroom was a spacious room, littered with Parker's toys. The walls were divided in half, horizontally. The top half was painted in an assortment of pastels, and was covered in framed pictures of and by the kids. The bottom half was made of a special whiteboard material, so that the children could draw on the walls. There was a small desk in one corner and another was gated off and filled with toys for Jenna.

"Whoa, great room bub," Booth commented as he looked around.

"I got a lot of new toys for my birthday-"

"That he hasn't put away yet," Brennan grumbled good naturedly.

"-and Mom says we can put a TV up here so I don't have to play my new Wii in the living room anymore." Parker continued, unfazed.

Booth raised an eyebrow. "You got a Wii? For your birthday?"

Parker nodded emphatically, and Brennan laughed. "He wanted video games, and Rebecca and I talked and decided a Wii would at least keep him a little more active," she explained as she placed Jenna on the floor beside a pile of her toys. "Okay Parker, we'll be right back."

"Kay Mom!"

Brennan led Booth out of the room and down the hallway to the master suite. "This is my- our room." She blushed and he grinned.

"It's great Bones." He glanced around at the pictures of Parker and Jenna that adorned the walls. "When did he start calling you Mom?"

She shrugged, "A few months ago, a little after Jenna was born. Is that- I mean, it doesn't bother you, does it?"

"Of course not!" He pulled her into his arms and dropped a kiss to her lips. "I love that my son loves you enough to call you Mom."

She relaxed in his arms, resting her head against his chest. "He missed you so much. We both did," she murmured into his shirt.

"Hey," he tucked a finger under her chin, lifting it so he could see her eyes, and he sighed as he saw the tears. "Bones, Temperance, honey, I'm not going anywhere. I love you- all three of you- so much."

She blinked as a tear escaped and gave him a shaky smile. "We love you too."

He held her in his arms for a few minutes before pulling back with a grin. "So what's this I hear about Grandpa's room?"

Brennan chuckled as she reluctantly stepped out of his embrace. "Curiosity killing you?" He shrugged, grin still in place. "Why don't I just give you the rest of the tour?" She led him across the hallway and opened the door to another room. "This is my dad's room." He gave her a curious look, but remained silent as he waited for her to continue. "Dad moved back into the area after- uh, after the funeral. He helped me find a place big enough for all of us, and helped us move in." She sat on the edge of the bed, absentmindedly fingering a framed photo of Max and Jenna on the nightstand. "When Jenna was about three months old, she became really colicky. Dad moved in to help me out, and ended up staying. I couldn't- handle everything by myself," she finished on a whisper.

He knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. "I'm so sorry Bones. I never meant for you to have to do this alone." He pressed a kiss to her palm, fighting back his own emotions. "It broke my heart to leave you at that airport, and it about killed me when I was told how much time had passed, how much I had missed. I was so afraid you had moved on."

"Never Seeley," she promised, pulling him up to kiss him gently. "It's always been you, and it always will be." They held each other again, simply enjoying the feeling of being in the other's arms after so long. "Parker wants to show you his room," she sighed, interrupting the moment after a little while.

The couple retrieved the children from the playroom and allowed the excited Parker to pull them into his room. Shortly before his father had left, Parker had gotten into a fireman phase, so his room was intricately decorated in a fireman theme. Angela had created a detailed mural on all four walls; compete with a Dalmatian puppy and closet doors that became the doors of the firehouse. His red comforter matched the red of the fire truck painted above his bed. Booth walked around the room in amazement.

"Do you like my room Daddy?" Parker looked up at him hopefully.

"Like it?" Booth wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and ruffled his hair. "I love it! This room is so cool."

Parker grinned proudly, "Aunt Angela did most of it, but I got to pick," he explained, "and she did Jen-Jen's room too. Wanna see?"

"Sure, lead the way bub." Booth followed Parker out into the hallway and into the next room, with Brennan and Jenna close behind.

"Wow, it's beautiful." The nursery was decorated in an array of pinks and rich browns. The walls were a pale pink with a wallpaper border of the same butterflies and flowers that adorned the blanket that hung on the edge of the crib. The crib was made of the same rich wood as the dresser and rocking chair, which nearly matched the hardwood floors of the house. A child-sized cushioned rocking chair sat on a pale pink rug that covered a good majority of the floor. "This is incredible Bones."

She smiled softly and shrugged. "Like Parker said, it's mostly Angela's doing really. I was about eight months pregnant at the time and just kind of gave her free reign over the kid's rooms."

"Well they are great. She did an amazing job."

Parker tugged on his sleeve and pointed to the little rocking chair by the crib. "That's for Jenna to play with when she gets a little bigger, but I get to rock her there sometimes, like when Mom's getting ready."

"You help out with Jenna?" Booth questioned and Parker nodded.

"He's a great help to have," Brennan agreed, her free hand ruffling his hair affectionately, "especially when Grandpa Max isn't here." She bounced Jenna on her hip as the baby began to grow restless.

"Speaking of which, where is your dad?"

Brennan grabbed a pacifier from a basket on the nearby dresser and gave it to Jenna to calm her. "He's with Russ and Amy and the girls this weekend. When they got married they moved just outside the city. Dad goes out to stay with them about every other weekend. They're coming back with him next week to have Christmas here."

"You're having-"

"Hey Mom, when's dinner?" Parker piped up from the doorway to the nursery.

Brennan sighed and glanced at her watch, only to find that it was later than she had realized. "Right now I guess, no wonder Jenna's fussy." She turned to Parker, "Go on down to the kitchen and get the take out menu okay? Pick what you want and Dad and I will be down in just a minute to order."

"Alright!" Parker took off down the hallway and a moment later they could hear his feet pounding down the stairs.

Brennan turned back to her husband to find he'd been making silly faces at their daughter while she talked, keeping her from crying. "Very cute Booth," she laughed.

Booth grinned and shrugged, "She needed distracting."

Brennan nodded, "She's hungry. I need to feed her before dinner gets here."

"Can I help?" Booth asked hopefully, but frowned when Brennan started laughing. "What?" He asked indignantly. "What's wrong with me wanting to help feed my daughter?"

She composed herself quickly. "Nothing Booth, I appreciate the offer, but it's not really something you can help with." She blushed a little. "I'm still breastfeeding a couple times at night and in the morning. She'll get some baby food and some solids with us tonight, you can help with that, and she takes a bottle with the food during the day while I'm at work."

"Is she always at the lab with you?"

"No, she's usually with Dad, or with your mom, but she's had the flu the past couple of days."

"My mom?" Booth raised an eyebrow and she gave a soft laugh, rubbing Jenna's back as she whined and buried her face in her mother's neck.

"Yes, your mom. Grandma Mary and Grandpa Daniel have been a big help." Jenna let out a high-pitched whine that bordered on a full cry and tugged on Brennan's blouse. She turned her attention to her daughter. "Okay Jenna-bug, I know it's dinner time. Booth, why don't you head downstairs and help Parker order dinner. You know what I like, just nothing too spicy, and Parker can show you what to order for Jenna. We'll be down to eat with you as soon as she's done."

Booth gave a nod and headed out of the room. Brennan carried her daughter to the wooden rocking chair in the corner and settled into it. She tucked a blanket around Jenna and settled the baby against her breast to nurse. As Jenna ate, Brennan rested her head against the back of the chair, closing her eyes for a moment, relishing in the time she had with her daughter. Her hand stroked absently down the baby's leg and she could feel Jenna's small fist opening and closing against the top of her breast. Brennan opened her eyes to gaze down at her daughter.

"You are one lucky girl, did you know that Jenna-bug?" She spoke to her daughter softly, chuckling softly when Jenna smiled around her breast. "You have a mommy, and a big brother, two grandpas, a grandma, and aunts and uncles who love you very much. Your daddy loves you very much too."

"Da!" Jenna cooed as she detached from her mother with a pop.

Brennan chuckled as she switched sides. "That's right Jenna-bug, Daddy's home, and he loves you, and Parker, and Mommy." Movement in the doorway caught her attention and she glanced up.

Booth stood in the doorway to the nursery, watching his wife nurse their daughter, with tears in his eyes. He walked into the room and knelt at the foot of the rocking chair. "Daddy's not going anywhere for a very long time, sweetpea," he promised in a voice thick with emotion as he traced a fingertip down his daughter's cheek. Brennan's eyes filled with tears as he looked up at her, "I love you so much Temperance."

Jenna released her breast and smiled up at him, reaching a little hand up to pat his cheek. "Da?"

Her parents laughed through their tears. "Yeah sweetpea, I'm Daddy," Booth told her lovingly. Brennan leaned forwards and placed Jenna in his arms. He lifted her to his shoulder and patted her back as Brennan readjusted her bra and shirt. He stood and, when she was done, offered his hand to pull her from the rocking chair and into his arms to press a soft kiss to her lips.

"Mom! Dad! Dinner's here!" Parker yelled from downstairs, and they broke apart with a smile.

"Coming Parker!" Brennan called back, "Let's go pay the delivery guy." She took Booth's hand in hers and together they left the nursery to eat dinner together as a family.

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I hope Brennan didn't seem too out of character. I know she's a little bit weepy, hell they both are, right now but that's understandable right? He's been dead for a year and now he's back...she's allowed to cry a little. LOL Please review and tell me what you thought! Remember there are about two or three more chapters left, so the more reviews I get, the faster I type! 


	9. Missed Time

Hey guys, I cannot believe I've taken so long to update…all I can say is I'm sorry! School kinda took over my life, and then trying to make enough money to pay for gas! (sidenote: can you believe the prices these days! I remember when we were upset that it went up to 1 a gallon!) I also had some trouble getting stuff to upload because of my terrible internet connection. This chapter isn't that long, I was having some trouble with it, but I promise I'm working on my stories, and I hope to post a lot more often this summer!

REVIEWS: I wanted to take a moment to address a few reviews. A couple of you commented on some details I thought I should address, just in case the rest of you were wondering as well. There was a comment about Jenna being too old to breastfeed. Most pediatricians recommend breastfeeding until at least age one, if not a little longer. At nine months, it would be perfectly normal for her to breastfeed a few times a day (such as evening and morning). Others commented on Booth seeming out of his element. In my mind, he should be. He's been gone over a year and the family has a new home and routine. It's going to take some getting used to, but he'll get there, I promise.

Now, on to the story!

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Chapter 9 -- Missed Time

Dinner that night was a family affair. Parker talked a mile a minute, telling his father seemingly everything about the last year. Brennan and Booth exchanged looks over the boys head, laughing as he described days at school and experiments that Hodgins and Zach had let him help with at the lab.

"You guys are going to turn him into a squint," Booth teased.

Brennan made a face. "Not that that would be a bad thing, but he is involved in other activities as well Booth."

"Yeah! I'm in soccer and baseball Dad!" Parker piped up.

"That's great Park, do you have fun?"

"Yep, I'm pretty good at soccer, and I play first in baseball," Parker told him proudly.

Brennan watched the pair with a smile as she carefully broke up pieces of pad Thai noodles for Jenna. Jenna was alternating between the noodles and fistfuls of Cheerios that Brennan had placed on her high chair tray at the beginning of the meal. She had recently begun eating certain solid foods with the family, and was quite proud of herself. Every so often the baby would bang her fist on the tray, catching everyone's attention.

"Hey sweetpea, were we ignoring you?" Booth turned back to the baby with a grin. She smiled in turn, revealing a gummy grin with just the beginnings of teeth coming in.

"Hey Jen-Jen, look at me!" Parker exclaimed from the other side of the table, and the baby looked up with wide eyes. Parker covered his eyes with his hand and sang, "Where's Jenna?" Pulling his hands away, he grinned, "there she is!" He repeated the game, but this time Jenna covered her own face with the back of her hand. "Where's Jenna?"

"Pa!" She squealed, flinging the hand away.

"There she is! Good girl Jen-Jen!" Parker laughed as their parents watched in amusement.

"When did she learn how to do that?" Booth chuckled.

Brennan laughed, "Parker was home with my dad a few days during his Thanksgiving break and they taught her. She was quite the hit at Thanksgiving dinner." As they spoke, Parker had continued the game. "Parker hon, that's enough peek-a-boo for now, can you finish your dinner?" Parker nodded and returned to his plate. "When you're done you can take your bath while I get Jenna down, and then we can read a little before bed."

"But Mo-om." Parker whined.

She gave him a look, "No buts. You know we got a late start, and you still have school tomorrow."

He pouted, "I don't wanna go. I wanna stay home with Dad."

Brennan sighed, "I'll tell you what, you have a math test in the morning, so you have to go. But, we'll pick you up at lunch and you can have the rest of the day with us okay?"

"Yay!"

The family finished up dinner quickly and Parker rushed upstairs for his bath. After tossing the take-out containers in the trash, Brennan and Booth took Jenna up to the nursery. Brennan helped him through the bedtime routine: her diaper and pajamas, then the music box from his mom, and her butterfly blanket and nightlight before they tucked her in and slipped quietly from the room. The pair moved into Parker's room, where he was sitting up in bed with a book in his lap, waiting for them.

"Which book did you pick tonight?" Brennan asked as she settled onto the bed beside him and motioned for Booth to do the same.

"I want to read more of the fifth Harry Potter," he held up the book.

They began where they'd left off, Parker and Brennan taking turns reading. When they finished the chapter, she climbed off the bed and replaced the book on the shelf. Booth hugged his son, brushing a kiss over his curls before standing from the bed and following his wife to the doorway. They watched in silence as he said his bedtime prayers. When he'd finished, Brennan turned off his light.

"G'night Mom, night Daddy," Parker called.

"Good night bub," Booth answered.

"I love you Parker," Brennan murmured.

"All the way to the moon?" Parker questioned softly, the smile evident in his voice.



"And back," Brennan replied before slipping out of the room, pulling the door shut behind her. As the door closed, Booth wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. Her arms came up instinctively as she returned the embrace.

"That was beautiful Bones," he murmured as they moved quietly to the master bedroom.

She smiled, "It's from a book we read to Jenna, Guess How Much I Love You. He thought it was a cute way to say goodnight, and it just became habit." She explained the exchanged as she tugged open a drawer and removed a large shirt he recognized as one of his and pajama pants. "I'm going to get ready for bed. Jenna gets up fairly early," she murmured as she carried the clothes to the bathroom.

"Do you have anything I can sleep in?" Booth asked, "I left the few things I had back at the FBI building."

She stepped back out of the bathroom, toothbrush in hand, and tugged open the bottom dresser drawer. It was full of his old band T-shirts and boxers. She blushed. "I couldn't bring myself to get rid of any of it," she admitted. "I left everything where it was until the move. The rest of your things are in boxes in the attic. We can get them down tomorrow if you would like."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "That would be great Bones. Thank you."

After a few moments they finished getting ready and climbed into the bed. Booth's arm went around her shoulder as she snuggled into his side, her head pillowed on his chest. He pressed a kiss to her forehead again as her arm settled around his waist. They laid in silence for a while, just enjoying holding each other again after so long. Booth shifted, running his fingers through her hair as he felt a wetness on his chest.

"Bones?" He questioned softly.

She sniffled and raised her head to brush the tears off of her cheeks. "I'm just so afraid this is all going to be a dream," she whispered. "We had your funeral Seeley. They gave me the flag from your casket, and I had to watch them lower it into the ground. I've been your widow all year and now- now I'm-" Her breath caught.

"My wife Bones." Booth tucked a finger under her chin to meet her eyes. "I'm here. I'm real, no dream. I'm not going anywhere."

"But-" He moved a finger to her lips to silence her.

"I'm not going anywhere," he repeated. "I've been honorably discharged. I will not be deployed again. I'm here to stay, I promise." She nodded her acceptance and pressed a kiss to his lips. When she laid her head back down on his chest his fingers continued to run through her hair. They were silent again until Booth sighed. "I've missed so much, with our family and friends."

Brennan pressed another kiss to his chest, and this time he could feel her smile. "Parker's in fourth grade now," she began, "his favorite subject is science, mostly because Hodgins, Zach, and Nadia do experiments with him and help him with his homework whenever he's in the lab. Nadia is my grad student, she started with me about four months ago. Her boyfriend, Jake, was the young man at the lab 

today. He just passed his exam to graduate from the police academy. Having Nadia around helped me to balance work and the kids, so I don't have to spend all my time at the lab. That was Chris's idea."

"Chris?" Booth questioned, and Brennan chuckled.

"Christine Matthews, my FBI liaison. She has twin three year olds, so she has been a great help with Jenna, especially when she was colicky. I'm not sure what I would have down without her, Becca, and your mom."

"Wait, Becca? Parker's mom Becca?"

"Yes. It helped to have other moms around to talk to. As much as I love my dad and Angela, they weren't able to talk about mothering things, such as breastfeeding, colic, or teething."

"I'm glad Becca let you keep seeing Parker."

She smiled. "He was so excited about being a big brother. I don't think she could have kept him away if she'd wanted to. He reminds me so much of you, everyday. He's very protective of his Jen-Jen, and he loves teaching her new games and trying to get her to talk."

"Does she talk yet?"

She shook her head, "Not much. What you've heard today is pretty much the extent of it. She is very into using her voice though, and she gets the basic sounds. She crawls everywhere, she's always underfoot, and she's starting to pull herself up on things, but she doesn't really let go yet."

"She sounds great Bones." He squeezed the arm around her waist in a hug.

"She can be," Brennan laughed softly, "but she's also become a bit spoiled by all the attention she gets from everyone at home, at your parents, and at the lab. Dad and Parker feed into it, unfortunately, and give her any and everything she wants."

"Is Parker doing okay?"

She nodded against his chest. "He's done pretty well, for the most part. I think spending time here helped, and Becca had him talk to a child psychologist for a little bit at the beginning," Booth chuckled when he could feel her make a face against his chest. "He had a few issues at school a couple of months ago and he has nightmares every so often, but he's been coping."

Booth frowned, "What kind of issues at school?"

"Just some issues with a new kid. I found out when he came for his week with me and insisted on calling me Tempe. He had only ever called me Mom or Dr. Bones, so I talked to Becca. Most of his class knew about you and what had happened, but this new boy didn't. When he found out that Parker had "two mommies" there was some teasing and bullying, and eventually a fight. We ended up sitting down with Parker, the other boy and his parents, and the principal before the bullying finally stopped."

Booth shook his head, "Kids can be cruel."

"He's doing better now," she assured him as she kissed his chest," and having you home can only help."

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A/N: Thanks again for your patience! Please review!!


	10. The First Day

So sorry it's taken me forever to update stuff. School and life are basically kicking my butt. I'm working on writing whenever I can, but free time is kind of in short supply these days…please bear with me!

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Chapter 10 – The First Day

The next morning, Brennan woke to an empty bed. Her heart sank, and she was halfway to a very respectable panic attack, when the baby monitor on her nightstand caught her attention. She held her breath, tearing up as the sound registered. It was Booth, and he was singing to Jenna. Her tears fell as she recognized the song.

_And I feel so satisfied when I can see you smile_

_I, I want to confide in all that is true_

_So I'll keep on tryin, I'm through with lyin'_

He was singing the song Max had sung to her when she was little. The song they had sung together in the diner, so many years ago.

_Just like the sun above, I'll come shining through_

_Oh yes, I'll keep on tryin, I'm tired of cryin'_

_I got to find a way to get on home to you_

She smiled through her tears, listening to her husband sing as she allowed her racing heart to return to normal. She slid from the bed and moved quietly down the hallway to Jenna's nursery. She stood silently in the doorway, watching as Booth rocked with their daughter. Jenna was staring up at him, almost enamored with him, as he gave her a bottle. Brennan shifted in the doorway, and the movement caught his attention.

"Good morning," he murmured, smiling up at her before glancing back down at the baby. "I hope you don't mind that I gave her the bottle. I wasn't sure if you nursed in the mornings, but I found the bottles, and she-"

"It's okay Seeley," Brennan smiled. "It's important for you to have this time later. I can pump later, it's not a big deal," she told him as she moved closer to the rocking chair.

He glanced up at her, noting the tear tracks on her face with concern. "You okay Bones?"

She nodded, but the expression on her face was a cross between pained and almost embarrassed. "I, uh- I woke up and you weren't there," she admitted softly.

"Oh Bones," he murmured. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer until he could wrap an arm around her waist. "I'm sorry I scared you."

She shrugged. "I overreacted a little. I think it is going to take me a little time to adjust, but I'll get there."

"We'll get there together Bones, the four of us."

She glanced at the small clock on Jenna's dresser. "Speaking of the four of us, it's time to get Parker ready for school. Would you like to wake him and get Jenna dressed while I get ready and start breakfast?"

"Sure," Booth stood, patting Jenna's back gently as he made his way next door to his son's room.

---

Twenty minutes later, the family was downstairs eating breakfast. While Brennan scrambled some eggs, Booth was trying to feed Jenna her baby food. He found himself extremely grateful he wasn't wearing a suit as Jenna blew raspberries, spraying her oatmeal and applesauce all over his T-shirt with a grin.

"Jenna," Brennan scolded gently and the baby's grin slipped away. "That usually means she's finished," Brennan told Booth, "she can have a handful of Cheerios to keep her occupied while we eat."

As they ate their breakfast, Parker chattered about all of the things he wanted to do with his father, and the things he needed to show him.

"Hey Parks," Booth interrupted gently, "I'm not going anywhere okay bub? We'll do all of those things, and you can show me anything you want, but it doesn't all have to be today."

Parker grinned sheepishly around a mouthful of eggs. "Sorry dad."

Booth laughed, reaching over to ruffle his son's hair. "No problem bub. Let's finish eating so we can get you to school on time."

Parker groaned, "I don't wanna go to school."

"We talked about this Parker," Brennan reminded him, "Math test, and then we'll pick you up at lunch."

"And I get to spend the rest of the day with you guys?"

"Right, so eat up!" Booth exclaimed

---

They arrived at Parker's school early enough for Brennan to speak with his principal and teachers. She had wanted to be sure that they knew and understood the situation. She found it slightly surreal to sit in the principal's office and explain how and why her "dead" husband was suddenly alive and home again. Brennan left the office a few minutes later and headed straight to her SUV where Booth and Jenna waited. She slipped into the driver's seat and immediately reached for him, hugging him tightly and kissing him.

"You okay Bones?" He whispered as he held her.

She nodded against his shoulder and kissed his neck, cheek, and lips before taking a deep breath and sitting back in her seat. "We need to head over to the Hoover building before going to the lab, correct?"

"Bones-"

"I'm okay Booth," she assured him. She started the car and pulled out of the school parking lot. As soon as they were on the road, he reached out and took her hand, holding it in his the rest of the drive. They made a quick stop at the FBI building to pick up Booth's bag before continuing on to the Jeffersonian lab. When they pulled into the parking lot, he tightened his grip on her hand to keep her from exiting the SUV.

"Bones, are you sure you're okay?" He asked softly, his hand against her cheek turning her to face him.

She sighed, rubbing a hand over her eyes. "I'm- I will be fine. I will just be relieved when everyone knows you are home and I can stop reliving it all."

He squeezed her hand and leaned over to kiss her. "We'll get there Bones, we've got all the time in the world. At least we can kill a couple of birds here."

She had been reaching for her purse, but stopped and turned to look at him incredulously. "Why in the world would we kill birds at this lab, and why would you expect that to make me feel better?"

Booth chuckled, "God I missed that. It's an expression, babe." She frowned. "To kill two birds with one stone means to take care of a couple of things at once. I meant that we will be able to tell a larger group of people here without explaining it all a hundred times."

Brennan laughed. "Alright then, let's go kill a few birds?" Booth pulled her in for one more kiss before sliding out of the car and opening the back door to lift Jenna from her car seat. Brennan grabbed her purse and a file from the backseat before taking his free hand and heading inside.

"Bren? Sweetie what are you guys doing here?" Angela called, seeing them enter from her place on the platform. The rest of the squints looked up as well. "I thought you would take a few days off."

Brennan swiped her card and the three of them climbed the steps to the platform. "Good morning. I am taking the rest of the week off Angela. We just came in to drop off a file and make sure everything was wrapped up and would be okay without me until after the holiday."

"And I wanted to see everyone," Booth added from where he stood at her side, one hand on her lower back, the other holding Jenna.

Cam smiled. "Alright, let's take a break everyone. There's coffee upstairs, let's move this party up there." Booth, Jenna and the rest of the squints followed her up to the couches above the platform.

While Booth explained his absence to the group, Brennan hurried to her office to deposit the file on her desk, check her messages, and take care of anything that couldn't wait a few days. She filed the pages she carried and replied to all of her emails with a promise to respond in detail after the holiday. With a quick glance around her office, Brennan gathered her purse, and a present she had hidden for Parker, and made her way back to the lounge. She arrived just as Booth was finishing his story.

"Hey Bones," he grinned, pulling her down to sit on his lap, and kissed her gently.

Cam and Angela exchanged grins.

"So what are you doing with your time off?" Cam asked.

"We're picking Parker up at lunch today to spend the day together," Booth answered.

"As a matter of fact, we should probably get going if you want to retrieve your things before picking him up," Brennan pointed out.

"Oh yeah, we probably should." Booth waited until she'd slid from his lap before standing and reaching to take Jenna from Angela. "It was good to see you all. I'm sure we'll be seeing you again soon."

"Are you coming back to work with us?" Hodgins asked?

"I'd love to," Booth answered honestly, but shrugged. "I've got a lot to do to get back with the FBI though, so I'm not sure how soon I'll get back, especially with Agent Matthews doing so well here in the meantime."

"We'll figure it out," Cam assured them. "We want you back."

The family said their goodbyes and left the lab, heading home to unpack Booth's boxes from the attic. After Jenna was down for her morning nap, the couple made multiple trips, hauling boxes of clothing and knickknacks into their room. When they were all there, Booth settled himself in the middle of the boxes, opening them and sorting the contents. While he unpacked, Brennan reorganized her own items, making room for his in the closet and dresser. They had just completed the project when Jenna woke up, the baby monitor on the nightstand lighting up.

Booth grinned. "She has impeccable timing, doesn't she?" He asked as he surveyed the room.

Brennan laughed, "It's good she does, it's time to pick up Parker."

---

Parker was practically bouncing with anticipation when they arrived to pick him up. After a quick review with his teacher of what work he would be missing, the family left the school, making a stop at the diner to eat lunch and plan the rest of the day. They ended up walking around the monuments, stopping by the reflecting pools for a little while, and letting Parker run off a little bit of energy on the hill by the Washington Monument. Whenever he wasn't running, Parker was holding tightly to his father's hand, talking a mile a minute about anything and everything. Brennan hung back a little, pushing Jenna in her stroller, just enjoying having her family together again.

* * *

Thanks for your patience everyone! Please review!! :)


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